Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing: 5 rounds for physical discomfort, if you are tired of apps
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 4 · 4, which is four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 4 on the way in, 4 at the top, 4 on the way out, 4 at the bottom. Repeat. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Because the counts are the same in and out, your body does not have to decide anything. It just follows.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 4s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 8s |
| Hold again | 4s | 12s |
One round is 16 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- when the afternoon has gone flat
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.